How do we get free?

It starts with education…

The one you NEVER got in school.

Freedom School 2020

Freedom School will give you the analysis and intellectual framework you need to think critically about oppression and liberation. The entire 12 months will be grounded in the black feminist perspective.

Black. Feminist.

Revolutionary.

Freedom School will help you develop you self-awareness and capacity to act in ways that will create a lasting impact.

“We realize that the liberation of all oppressed peoples necessitates the destruction of the political-economic systems of capitalism and imperialism as well as patriarchy.”

~ The Combahee River Collective Statement

You Have A Voice.

It’s Time You Used It.

There’s a myth that says that if we are silent and non-disruptive that we are more likely to be successful. That couldn’t be further from the trueth. Leader ship is what we can get when we own our power and our voice.

“Black women are inherently valuable, that our liberation is a necessity, not as an adjunct to somebody else’s may because of our need as human persons for autonomy.”

~The Combahee River Collective Statement.

Freedom School will help you strengthen your voice.

The Specifics:

Think of Freedom School as a primer to social justice, a year-long introductory exploration of the ideas and topics most relevant to understanding and navigating our current social and political landscape

Once a month the participants of Freedom School will gather for a 90-minute interactive workshop led by Desiree Adaway. These will be recorded if you can’t attend live. You will also receive a curated resource list each month to further your learning.

Freedom School consists of four modules, each module is three months long. You can participate in all four or choose to take the first (required) and then pick and choose from the other three.

Dates & Times

Classes will be held on the last Tuesday of every month from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm ET.

Enrollment is always open. Sign up only for specific modules or join us for them all.

The Curriculum:

Module 1

The Foundations

January, February, March

In module one, you’ll learn what exactly social justice is, how your identities (race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, age, etc.) impact how you see the world, and what it takes to develop a liberatory consciousness. The way we see and experience the world is affected by who we are and the identities we hold. Consider how the identities and the privileges you hold may affect the stories you are exposed to, the experiences you value, and the power you have. This foundations work will be based in the teachings of Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Patricia Hill Collins, and other Black feminist teachers.

Module 2

White Supremacy

April, May, June

In the spring, we’ll be developing your understanding and analysis around the construction of race, whiteness and white supremacy. We’ll look at the ways in which colonization, religion, capitalism, and democracy have all worked to create the current racial inequities in America. We dig in and examine the social, structural, and global power of whiteness.

Module 3

Specific Issues

July, August, September

We have some new curriculum in 2020. We will dig in and give a deeper analysis to some current social issues affecting society.
The dominant narrative (especially by white women) is to call the police on Black people because they are always seen as deviant, dangerous, or a deadly threat to the larger community. Racism is a system of oppression that is upheld through institutions like our justice, educational, and legal systems which disadvantages communities of color. These systems are rooted in anti-Blackness. Join us as we study anti Blackness, Policing the clothing, hair and bodies of Black women and race, class and capitalism.

Module 4

The Politics of Social Movements

October, November, December

Module four’s topics will revolve around desire, pleasure, accountability and healing as core social movements tools. How do we find our people, care for them, build power and community with them? Many reactionary and destructive acts have been done in the name of getting the work done. How do we become more radically resilient and not replicate systems of harm in our leadership, movements and communities?

Tuition:

Tuition Options:

Full Tuition: $899

Each Module (Four Total): $275

Choose Curriculum

Freedom School changed my life in profound ways that reverberate every day, and it’s difficult to convey the impact Desiree has had on my life and work. A true visionary who insists that we invest deeply in ourselves and each other, she makes room for the messy parts, the questions, conversations, and complexity, while marrying analysis and action in ways that truly matter. Desiree embodies integrity, humility, fierce intelligence, deep respect of difference, and an unwavering commitment to creating and nurturing environments where real learning and change happen. I’m so grateful for her work and her heart.